Dogs & Cats on Waterbeds

The owner of STLBeds, Dave Belleville, started his mattress business as a waterbed store in 1986. He would probably know better than anyone if it is ok to mix dogs, cats, and waterbeds. He has been selling and continues to sell these unique beds just south of St. Louis MO. Dave says, “If I have learned anything in all my years of selling waterbeds and being a pet owner of dogs and cats, our little friends love these waterbeds. I have had many animals through out the years and in particular several cats that even sleep with my wife and I on our waterbed over the years and knock on wood we’ve never had a puncture.” Dave goes onto say “that doesn’t mean you should take it for granted that the beds cannot be damaged by pets” and offers some helpful hints.

How to protect your waterbed from pets

One solution for hardside waterbed owners is to purchase a waterbed cover that fully incases your hardside waterbed bladder for the ultimate protection. These usually have a zippered top, which is removable. It completely zips to a side and bottom panel so your furry friend cannot puncture it. This quilted top cover is usually ¾” to 2 ½” thick or more so pet claws are commonly not an issue. A person only needs to unzip the parameter of the protective zippered cover to access the waterbed mattress inside for occasion maintenance such as adding conditioner.

Waterbed protection

An example of how well protective nightwear covers from companies like Land and Sky work is this story that happened to one of our customers about two years ago. The couple having bought their bed less than a year before the incident told us how their dog dug a 2” deep hole in her 3” cover. They had left the dog alone while they were out for the evening during a thunderstorm. The dog got scared and dug into the cover of their bed. Fortunately for them the dog never did get to the $500.00 waterbed mattress.

Another thing that helps to protect a waterbed from cats and dogs is the bed linens. They offer additional protection while protecting your mattress and greatly adding to the beds comfort. This is because a mattress pad adds thickness to the top keeping the mattress from your pets’ sharp claws. The comfort comes from more breathability while drawing moisture and heat away from your body.

Waterbeds that co-exist best with your pets

One waterbed in particular that can be great to have when you own a dog or cat is a softside waterbed, which already has the protective cover built in. The outside part of the bed also has a zippered top and encloses a protective 4-5” foam perimeter keeping the sides of the waterbed totally protected from sharp claws. They look just like a regular mattress and boxspring and best of all can be used with regular bedroom furniture. We recommend a good mattress cover also on a softside waterbed not only to offer additional protection from pets, but they go a long way to protect your bed from stains and smell due to dirt and body fluids like perspiration.

So as you can see there are many solutions to the so called “I can’t have a pet and a waterbed” comments so frequently thrown around. Our hope is that this dispels some of the stories about cats causing waterbeds to pop and explode.

Author: Douglas Belleville

Doug Belleville and his father Dave own and run STLBeds - a specialty sleep store located in Arnold, MO. The staff at STLBeds is highly educated about sleep, comfort and their special sleep products. STLBeds only carries high quality mattresses and bed-related products. You won't find the brand names here - click here to find out why!

4 Comments

Hello. I really enjoy reading your info on waterbeds and cats and dogs. We got a waterbed for our son 3 weeks ago and we have had to have the company come out two times because it had a leak in it. Very small leak were the seam is.WEll, today we can home a d it had another’s all pin like holes three of them in different areas . Do you think our cat did these new ones? If so can I get a new mattress thank you

Angie, The odds of getting 3 holes at the same time and it not being a puncture are pretty rare especially if the leaks are on the surface and high along the sides. Our suggestion would be a couple things. If you do not make your bed be sure to at least pull up the covers when you get out of bed, 2nd use a thick fitted mattress pad. The best protection would be some type of zippered encasement that goes all the way around the mattress. Yes we do sell replacement water mattresses for both softside and hardside waterbeds.

Back in the spring of 1990, I built my hard side water bed frame. The first of July that year, I put the water bed bladder in my frame and filled it. This bed has been in constant use since a day after filling it.

I have had Alaskan Malamutes since 1980. Beginning in 2001, I became a foster home for Malamute Rescue. That means that I may have several Malamutes in the house at a time. They liked the bed too.

My bed has alway been made up when I get out of it. That means there is a sheet, 2 blankets, and 2 more sheets to keep dirt from the dogs fur off the blankets. Below the sheet are 2 mattress pads and a matress sheet.

I have never emptied this bladder. It has never had a leak. I have had to let air out of it and add a couple gallons of water a couple of times. With a habit of care, a water bed bladder can last a very long time.

John, Love your story. My wife and I are huge dog lovers and do not have children. Our dogs (cockapoos) have always slept with us and no problems here either. I would only caution you to remember that it is a piece of vinyl and it is holding a whole lot of water back inside your house. With that said water mattresses are cheap to replace in comparison to the damage that could occur with a major leak. Water bed bladders should be replaced in my opinion at 12 years need it or not. Keep up the great work. Doug